Search Result: Patrol Morale

Detroit Police officers will not longer be required to work three 12-hour shifts, newly appointed Chief James Craig announced today. Beginning Oct. 14, Detroit PD officers will begin working eight-hour shifts.

The second-highest-ranking member of the union representing Pittsburgh police officers said the rank-and-file are still shocked this morning by the sudden forced resignation of Chief Nate Harper and morale remains low.

My Field Training Officer (FTO) often compared police work to playing on a football team. He would say, "The team with the least amount of penalties wins." The analogy always stuck with me and after 10 years as an officer, it still rings true.

Starting Monday, Phoenix Police officers will begin testing extended shifts for its officers, the department has announced. Under a six-month pilot program, officers from the Cactus Park Precinct will work three days of shifts of 13 hours and 20 minutes followed by four days off.

What most agencies do well is produce managers; it helps with short-term goals but exasperates long-term ones. Please don't tell me you are part of that innocuous group of lost souls that think managing and leading are the same thing, because they're not.

The grand jury investigation is now expected to result in charges against more than a dozen police officers, most of them for crimes related to fixing tickets. The others face more serious corruption charges, a person briefed on the matter said. About 25 to 40 officers are expected to face charges.

Columbia, S.C., Police Chief Randy Scott emphasized the importance of customer service during a training session, saying he wants all officers to be polite, courteous and professional when dealing with the public.

In an organizational hierarchy, bureaucratic politics share the same tendencies wherever you go. We attend classes on almost every subject imaginable but I can't think of one on how to deal with the political nature of law enforcement.

The results of the climate survey reflect a growing rift with line officers and Public Safety Director Frank Straub and Chief Paul Ciesielski. The union has claimed Straub and Ciesielski are introducing reforms in the department without their consultation and have taken unduly harsh discipline against some officers accused of misconduct.

One of the strongest administrators I ever knew was a captain who took more than one unpopular stance against then L.A. County Sheriff Sherman Block. It cost her politically and took a toll on her physically, but she had the respect and affections of those who were fortunate enough to work for and with her. Years after her retirement, her name is spoken with deep respect among those who knew her.

"We've got to show the public that the reality on the street is we are desperately short-handed,'' the report quotes Officer David Garza as saying. "There has been a lot of times when people call for back up and it takes five minutes.''

Being more lazy/touchy feely/idealistic/free thinking/whatever, I thought it'd be nice to cut some of our own some slack. Maybe let hard workers work out on duty; or, indulge themselves with some down time (a.k.a., get them in tough with their inner fireman).

Yes! Please rush me my FREE TRIAL ISSUE of POLICE magazine and FREE Officer Survival Guide with tips and tactics to help me safely get out of 10 different situations.

Just fill in the form to the right and click the button to receive your FREE Trial Issue.

If POLICE does not satisfy you, just write "cancel" on the invoice and send it back. You'll pay nothing, and the FREE issue is yours to keep. If you enjoy POLICE, pay only $25 for a full one-year subscription (12 issues in all). Enjoy a savings of nearly 60% off the cover price!